The Arizona Republic is getting an early start on, Don Bolles, damage control.

Written by
Ernest Hancock
Date: 05-28-2006
Subject:
Corruption
Why would dozens of Investigative Reporters and Editors come to Arizona to report on our corruption and the death of a reporter of the Arizona Republic? Why would the Arizona Republic not run the reports from a 5 month investigation while the rest of the country was focused on the stories? Why would the Republic all of a sudden bring the issue up and begin a spin campaign?

We'll be sharing the answers to these questions and a lot more during the 2006 election cycle. But the following timeline might help.

The political machine responsible for the largest share of political corruption in Arizona never went away and many of the same names and families are still in power. The long term plan for John McCain's run for President of the United States, the 2008 election cycle, the 30th Anniversary of Don Bolles death, the National Convention of The Investigative Reporters and Editors here in Phoenix in 2007 and the opening of a Washington, D.C. Museum to journalism that will have an entire wing devoted to The Arizona Project and Don Bolles all have an influence on the story being told and the Arizona Republic's role over the years.

Here's some of the stories from just today and some radio archives that will help you understand why the Arizona Republic's sphincter is so tight.

Long before it was published, the project was getting a lot of attention in Arizona. Although many Arizona residents and businesses welcomed the team of investigative reporters from other states, others resented the incursion by outsiders and worried that the dirty laundry the team was sure to dredge up would hurt tourism and business.

"Politicians didn't like the idea of outsiders coming in to snoop through their underwear drawers," Cady said.

Arizona Sen. Barry Goldwater, a national figure at the time, was one of those who spoke out against the project at the time.

Goldwater was widely quoted as saying that out-of-state journalists should stay home and "clean up their own towns" and that they didn't know anything about the stories they were writing.

When it came time to publish the series, the project was dealt a blow when The Arizona Republic decided at the last minute not to publish it.

The Arizona Project turns 30 in 2007, an occasion IRE will mark by holding its annual conference in Phoenix in honor of Bolles.

Bolles worked out of the Capitol pressroom. He was one of the newspaper's top investigative reporters. He had reported on land fraud, Mafia members infiltrating Arizona and corruption in various public agencies.

Dary Matera and Ernest talk about various stories, including a young girl at 17 that got her first kick in the stomach by the IRS.

The Arizona Project is discribed and will get discussed on the show starting March 15th. The history of Arizona politics and the corruption that continues through today.

This was a very entertaining and informative show. Dary wrote a book "What's in it for me" in the early 90's that picked up where the "Arizona Project" left off and I'll take it from Dary's era and update you all as to where we are now.

http://www.ire.org/history/ is where you should look for the history of the "Investigative Reporters and Editors" organization and how they exposed Arizona to the world and why the Arizona Republic newspaper wouldn't print a word of it.

The Arizona Project by Michael F. Wendland and What's in it for me by Dary Matera. These two books chronical the political corruption in Arizona from as far back as the 50's.

What is so interesting is that the same people that were known to be crooks a decade ago are still in public service doing the same things.

Our current governor Janet Napolitano was the criminal defense attorney for one of the Az Scam legislators. I guess defending crooked politicians is a job requirement to be apointed as a US Attorney during the Clinton administration. Janet was later elected Attorney General of Arizona and is now our Governor and just got back less than a week ago from a meeting to examine a possible draft to become the VP running mate for John Kerry's run for US President as a democrat against President Bush.

It's in this world of politics that libertarians are considered the abnormal people.... is that a compliment? :)

Guest: Dary Matera

Subject: Arizona Project, Whats In It For Me, Political Corruption, Janet Napolitano

Gary St Lawrence former columnist from the Arizona Republic gives his insider (from the outside) views on the news (non) coverage of gun battles on the border and a dead Homeland Security agent said to have shot himself in the head traveling down the highway to a meeting at Davis-Monthan Airbase in Tucson to detail efforts to close the border. Jack Foote from Ranch Rescue joins us to up date the activities on the border and what the government is doing to stop their efforts to protect private property on the border. Casey Nethercott has been targeted as an example and has a very interesting tale for us that is detailed by Jack Foote.

Thomas V. Derouchey, 45, the special agent in charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Phoenix, was found dead in his government car, an apparent suicide victim, according to the Marana Police Department.

Derouchey was charged with dismantling violent criminal operations associated with immigrant smuggling. He supposedly was on his way to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base to participate in a news conference announcing the federal government's latest efforts to stem illegal immigration.

In the Second hour Gary and Ernest talk about the political corruption throughout Arizona politics.